I went to a Weavespa class tonight and had such a blast! Natalie is so wonderful. She was so…read morepatient trying to teach us all, but her instructions were so easy to follow. The class was $30 for 2 hours and you get to come with with a one of a kind piece. Mine ended up being the length of a table runner and the colors turned out great She has a huge selection of yarn, and offers more detailed classes also. After trying it out I think I might sign up for a 4 week class. Definitely shoutout to Natalie with any questions this is her passion and it radiates from her. I also say I'm not very creative, but after completely my project I feel crafter than ever!!

Best place in Chicago (and maybe the world) to learn weaving! Natalie is not only an accomplished…read moreartist but she's an amazing teacher and human. I highly recommend this school!

Tchad is fantastic. He took the thoughts in my head and he turned him into reality and made this…read morebeautiful pillow for me. I'm now paralyzed in a wheelchair and it's been the best thing I've ever had because it cradles my neck and keeps my head steady, even when my headrest doesn't. It's grateful for travel as well. This man knows his stuff and is the absolute best

tchad is the best! if you are looking for a sewing community where you can work on any project with…read moreexpert help, Tchad is the place to go

After the email exchange I had with Allyson on Wednesday, I feel compelled to write this review…read more First, I will take you back to September of 2010; it was not my finest hour by any means. I had graduated from college that May and had been sitting around the house collecting dust ever since. Once you have been unemployed long enough to see Family Feud go through two hosts, you know that the time had come to once again give your life purpose, so I actively began to tackle items on my bucket list. Through some research on handy-dandy Yelp, I discovered Sweatshop of Love. Last September, I started with Allyson's 'Holiday Present Prep' class (which she is repeating again this year). It is basically the class you make out of it. Everyone in the class contributes to a Google Doc list of homemade gifts that they would like to make for their friends and family. All class participants can access and alter it so everyone can encourage each other and get ideas for their gifts as well. During this 10-session course, I learned not only the knitting basics, but also how to make scarves, socks, mittens, gloves, bags, the ever popular beer cozy, and 80% of a sweater (I ran out of steam on it toward the end; smaller projects provide more instant gratification!). Granted, I was knitting like it was paying the rent and the rent was due tomorrow, but I couldn't believe the quality and amount of instruction I was able to receive for $95. Allyson is so sweet and patient; she will never say anything but encouraging things to you in class. I may not have had a job, but I still had the satisfaction of knowing I could make practical items for myself, which was (and still is) so invaluable. Almost immediately after Holiday Present Prep finished, I landed a job...and started a lunchtime knitting group. The student had become the teacher? Not quite Allyson caliber, but I knew enough to teach a group of ladies at work how to make 'Grandma's Favorite Dishcloth'. I felt like such a proud parent when my coworkers would come up to me on Monday morning and show me the progress they had made over the weekend. Anyway, this Wednesday, Allyson sent out an email regarding her upcoming fall classes, which included another item on my bucket list: learn how to crochet. Nice! If you are not ready to make that 10-week commitment, she also offers a one-night introduction to knitting and individual one or two-night projects you can choose to work on. If you are completely new to this and don't know where to begin, Allyson will also buy your supplies for the first day for an additional fee. So to sum it all up, you can learn some yarn arts at a reasonable price with a friendly group of people in a cozy coffee shop in Logan Square. If you have always wanted to learn how to knit or crochet, this is a great place to start! The only thing you stand to lose is that trip to Target when you need a new pair of socks.

The Sweatshop of Love totally rocks!…read more I had my first class with Allyson last year and she was super patient and understanding with me and my clumsy fingers. After she taught me how to knit, I wanted to take it up a notch and learn how to crochet. I went to her beginner's crochet class with a friend and we had a great time! We all chatted and drank coffee and had so much fun! She always takes the time out to help you and she never makes you feel stupid for not getting something the first (or second, or third) time. BONUS: She always sends detailed notes and instructions following a class so you don't forget what you have learned! I would HIGHLY recommend The Sweatshop of Love for your knitting and crocheting education!

I brought my mom to a Basics class at GnarWare for her birthday a little bit ago…read more We thought the space was nice and the class was maybe good for experienced people but not beginners. And we found the instructor oddly rude. In general, the instructor didn't give much feedback to people during the class.. despite it being pretty small group and only a subset of people who clearly needed help (including us). In general, she went through the steps twice. If you got it, you got it. If you don't, sucks for you. More importantly, my mom found the instructor impatient & rude. Whenever mom asked a question, the instructor would respond with "as I said earlier...." or some variation. It resonated as weirdly passive aggressive, condescending, and dismissive - particularly combined with lack of proactive feedback. In short the cycle went, instruction starts - we struggle a bit - no proactive help - mom asks for help - receives condescending response - struggle continues. Mom was annoyed the whole car ride home. I apologized and told her I'd put it in the review.

Perfect place for beginners and oldtimers! Perfect place where everyone is welcome. I highly…read morerecommend doing a workshop if you want to get a feel for ceramics; if you're experienced, you'll feel like you're coming home.

I love making things with my hands; I love the sense of accomplishment it gives me. My grandmother…read moretook up upholstery in her 70's and made some beautiful pieces, one of which I inherited. The fabric on the piece isn't really my style and I decided that if it was going to be re-done, I wanted to be the one to do it. There aren't many places to learn upholstery. I am lucky to live a few blocks from the shop; my classmates weren't so lucky, they all lived at least 20 miles away. I wasn't sure what to expect with the beginner's class, so it's worth noting that in the beginner class you most likely won't work on an actual piece of furniture.* What you will do is complete four projects that give you the skills to move on to actual furniture. The class is very hands on, you will thread a machine and start sewing in your first class. There are no prerequisites for this class; half of us hadn't used a sewing machine before. Owning a garment machine, there were a few things that took getting used on upholstery machines. There are two instructors; Jeff, the owner, taught my class and one of his staff taught the other. I can't speak to the other teacher's style, but Jeff is very laid back and a firm believer of learning by doing. Jeff is very generous with his time, knowledge, tools and materials; many students don't finish all of the projects in the allotted class time, but you're welcome to come back and finish after your session is complete (provided there's room). You're always your harshest critic, but I was so flattered when the manfriend thought my final project was something I had bought. I really loved this class and can't wait to start the intermediate class. The intermediate is like an independent study, you bring the piece you want to work on. If you've meandered by and seen the work in the window on Lincoln, those are student pieces. * One project is a bar stool cover. If you've got a piece to work on, you can use it. TIP: There's a lot of close work in the class and it's easy to get into a groove. Wear comfortable clothes you wouldn't mind getting dirty and bring your glasses, water and a snack.

I just took the "Beginners' Upholstery Class" with Jeff Kraut and LOVED it!…read more The class covers upholstery techniques that can be applied to automotive upholstery, furniture upholstery, and bag making. It is taught on industrial sewing machines (no previous sewing experience necessary). I already knew basic sewing and I definitely picked up lots of new tricks/techniques. Some of the topics we covered: * setting up the machines and basic sewing. * quilted stitching on vinyl (like on the back of a car seat or stuffed chair) * adding piping trim * zipper installation and sewing a small case * stapling construction and making a panel (like recovering a chair seat or a car side panel) * beginning pattern making and making a seat cushion Projects might vary a little from class to class. I've posted photos of my work. The class was Mon & Wed, 7-9pm for 5 weeks. It's located just down the street from Trader Joe's on Lincoln. Easy parking & near the El. You can get more info from Jeff at canvasboss@yahoo.com. I'm looking forward to the advanced class!

Cherice Taylor is the Making It Sew Fun director and teaches sewing classes for adults and children…read morein her home sewing studio. She is very hands-on and patient with her students, but she does expect for students to learn her techniques and be open to building on them. I have had the pleasure of receiving her instruction since April and she has even taken time to help me with my personal, non-class related sewing projects. I recommend her class to anyone who has little to no sewing experience. Even if you sewed years ago and want to sharpen your skills, Cherice is for you!

Spudnik is a co-op that allows creatives and such to use their equipment in the studio for their…read moreown personal pursuits. They have letterpress, screen printing equipment, lithography, and more at your disposal. A membership with Spudnik gains you access to all of this and there are different levels based on what you want to use the studio for (basic and volunteer for more casual artists and keyholder for those who, say, make a living off of their art). If you're new to all of this they also lead classes and workshops for outside groups as well, including classes on screen printing, zine making, lithography, risography, letterpress, photoshop and more. I had a great time here designing and screen printing t-shirts with my colleagues last week. Tara and the other Spudnik folks were so fantastic, walking us through the process of creating the image (we did a collaborative drawing but you can also use their computers to create something digitally) then taking us through the steps of screen printing. I had done some INCREDIBLY DIY screen printing years ago so it was great to see how it's done in a proper setting with a dark room and all that good stuff. She told us all about the different screen gauges, the emulsion process, and more. So fun and educational! A super cool space that I wish I had known about when I lived in Chicago. I would have definitely joined and exercised my creativity, no doubt.

Loved my experience at Spudnik! We rented out the place for a team bonding screen printing…read moreexperience and had a blast! As others have mentioned, this is a space for creatives to play. While there are studios for individual artists that are in-house, there are letterpress and screen printing machines as well as workshops that are offered to the general public. Our group made a screenprinting design, where we collaborated on a drawing between the 12 of us and the wonderful staff helped us make T-Shirts with the original screenprint that we created! It was a fun, involved process and the staff at Spudnik made it easy, seamless and stress-free. If you're looking for a fun experience or just looking to get more connected to the creative community in Chicago, check out Spudnik!

The Pottery Loop is one of those rare places that's both incredibly creative and deeply relaxing…read more Whether you're new to pottery or have some experience, this studio makes you feel completely supported and encouraged to explore your own style. I've taken both wheel and handbuilding classes and truly loved them. I ended up making three pieces--two on the wheel and one from handbuilding--and the entire process, from shaping to glazing, was so rewarding. The staff, especially Mike, are amazing--patient, knowledgeable, and fun to learn from. They create a space that's relaxed but still focused, which is exactly what you want in a creative setting. They also offer 6-week classes if you're looking to go deeper into the craft. I haven't had time to commit to one yet, but based on my experience, I'd 100% recommend it to anyone who wants a consistent, immersive creative outlet. They do have a 24-hour cancellation policy, which is fair, though it can be a little tough if something last-minute (like getting sick) comes up. But overall, this place is such a joyful, hands-on, and well-run experience. I can't wait to go back again!

I can't say enough wonderful things about this pottery studio and the classes! From the moment you…read morewalk in, the space feels warm, creative, and welcoming. It's the kind of place where you instantly feel inspired to try something new. Mike, the owner and instructor, is truly incredible. He's patient, knowledgeable, and has a natural way of teaching that makes everyone feel comfortable. He takes the time to explain techniques, offers helpful guidance, and encourages creativity without ever making you feel rushed or intimidated. If you're thinking about trying pottery, this is absolutely the place to go. Mike has created a studio that feels like a little creative community, and every class is something to look forward to. Highly recommend to anyone looking to learn pottery, unwind, and make something special!